1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in life saving devices and more particularly, but not by way of limitation to a life preserver for facilitating the rescue of a substantially helpless person.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Life saving apparatus in the form of flotation devices are well known and are widely used in areas surrounding water, such as swimming pools, lakes, beaches and the like. These devices are usually carried on water craft, also, for water rescue services. The presently available devices of this type are normally buoyant members adapted to be grasped by the person being rescued, such as the well known toroidal shaped life preserver, and other apparatus such as shown in the Sipos U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,986, issued Nov. 11, 1930 and entitled "Protective Device;" the Walters U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,251, issued July 27, 1937 and entitled "Lifesaving Device;" the Spanner U.S. Pat. No. 2,344,652, issued Mar. 21, 1944, and entitled "Lifesaving Apparatus;" and the Cornforth U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,861, issued Nov. 8, 1977, and entitled "Buoyant Life-Saving Device." The Sipos protective device is of a substantially annular configuration designed primarily for use by skaters and intended to protect skaters from immersion upon breaking through the ice. The device is worn around the body and is tiltable into an inclined position so that persons may pass each other in close proximity, and is provided with an outer ring to engage the ice and is also buoyant to support the person. In addition, a hook means may be thrown a distance on ice sufficiently solid for supporting the person, and the person may draw himself onto firm ice.
The Walter lifesaving device is of an elongated configuration having pointed ends and is buoyant sufficiently for sustaining the weight of a human body submerged in water. It is particularly designed to facilitate towing of the device through water. Cables are provided on the device which may be passed over the shoulder or the like of a lifeguard, who may then swim with arms and legs unimpeded. The loops formed by the ropes or cables may be placed around the chest and shoulders of an exhausted or half-drowned bather, and the bather may be supported by the device while the rescuer goes to the relief of others, or until the device is towed to the shore.
The Spanner lifesaving apparatus is of a substantially hollow square configuration and is of a buoyant construction. A plurality of seats are provided around the outer periphery of the device which are arranged whereby they take up a stable position when the device is in the water. A person may be supported by the float by sitting astride one of the seats. In addition, looped rope harness means to encircle persons is provided the ropes being of buoyant construction. The Cornforth lifesaving device is adapted to be thrown to swimmers, and consists of a buoyant member loosely confined within a net-like web. The web, also being buoyant, permits ready grasping of the device by the swimmer, and also facilitating the accurate throwing or casting of the device through a considerable distance with safety.
These devices have certain disadvantages in that a person in distress in the water, such as a seriously injured or severely weakened person, frequently does not have the strength or ability to grasp a life-saving device, even when it is thrown or cast substantially in his exact location in the water. In addition, persons being rescued, such as in a sea-air rescue attempt, are frequently in the water at positions remote from any beach area, or the like, and it is substantially impossible for a rescuer to reach the injured person in time to prevent his drowning. Such an instance may be the result of an aircraft crash at sea. When the presently available life preserving devices are thrown to the injured and weary passengers struggling for life, they may be able to hold onto the buoyant devices for a period of time, but frequently they become so weakened that they lose their grasp and slip under the water before the rescuers can reach them.